Category Archives: Professional Perspectives

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As superficial as it sounds, what you wear matters. How a person dresses is both a physical expression of respect and a nonverbal communication. While the old saying goes “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, everything you do makes a statement about who you are. It also has an immense impact of how people perceive you the first few seconds they meet you and can have lasting effects on your career. Obviously, where you intern/co-op matters, as the workplace and field have their own unique cultures, from conservative suits and ties on Capitol Hill to swag free t-shirts in Silicon Valley. The bottom line for dressing well, therefore, is to align with the brand you want to communicate. So how do you look the part?

Though some college students might be living on a budget, do remember that tailoring your clothes goes a long way to making a difference. If the clothing is too tight or too loose, it gives off the vibe that you are sloppy and not cleaned up. When you are investing on good presentable clothes, you want to make your investment count. And unless you have a sewing machine at home, you should always go the extra step to go to a tailor to make it fit your body type. It will also give you an extra boost of confidence as well. You won’t regret it!

3. Pair Everything With a Blazer:

Say you are going to a networking event or a cocktail event after work that requires you to dress up, but you are not sure how dressy the event is or you don’t have time to go back home to change – what should you do? Pair everything with a blazer, because it allows you the flexibility to dress up and down. Now the big question is what color, according to hiring managers, blue is the safest choice because it sends the message that you are credible and trustworthy, and inspires confidence. Avoid brown because it signals old-fashioned, and black which conveys leadership and over-confidence. You don’t want to come up too strong and overpowering especially if you a just a low-level assistant. Save it for the future.

4. Other Do’s and Don’ts for Women and Men:

It’s a fact that women can lose respect in the work place if they wear too revealing clothes. A good rule of thumb is, the younger you are, the more conservatively you should dress. As you move up in your career, consider changing your wardrobe style and making a bit of statement, but for now, no short skirts and revealing tight tops. Also, refrain from wearing too much makeup but do put on deodorant. For men, generally there is much less to worry about. However, you should wear your hair in a clean and neat style; while hair gel is not necessary and depends on your personal style, sometimes it does do the trick to tidy your look. Another thing that employers notice are shoes. Make sure they match the color of the suit you are wearing, and that they are polished and clean. Try not to show too much socks when you sit and wear pants that suit your height. Lastly, for both genders, if you have any visible tattoos and body piercings, you should always err on the cautious side to conceal them.

I’ll admit it – I was skeptical going into my week in Quantico, VA for a Marine Corps Educators’ Workshop. I wondered how intense the week of orientation would be and I wondered just how many job options there really were in the Marine Corps.

After my week in Quantico, I thought I’d share a few things I learned and some of the coolest things I’ve done.

-There are 40 MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) job fields available within the Marine Corps including logistics, engineering, public affairs, financial management, and communications.

-Joining the Marine Corps doesn’t automatically put you on the front lines – there are different ways to serve in the Marines – as an Enlisted Marine or as a Marine officer, leading your enlisted peers.

-The average age of a Marine is 23 and most enlist for a standard time of 4 years

-Tuition assistance is available for graduate study and/or professional programs

-There is an opportunity to be stationed in over 100 different countries

-You could start applying to the Marine Corps already – The Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) is a 10 week paid training session for rising seniors which lets you focus on studies senior year and then post-graduation, you become a Second Lieutenant

Coolest things I experienced with the Marine Corps:

-Completed a simulated ‘mission’ into the woods of Quantico holding a fake (but heavy) weapon, wearing a Kevlar helmet

-Rode in an Osprey helicopter with the back ramp open while practicing evasive maneuvers

-Did the Leadership Reaction Course (think American Ninja Warrior obstacles) and climb up a tree and across a branch 8 feet high

-Was awestruck by the precision and skill of the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performing in front of the 32-foot tall Marine Corps War Memorial statue

Melissa Croteau is an Assistant Director of Employer Relations at Northeastern University. When she isn’t training with the Marine Corps or flying in an Osprey Helicopter, you can find her singing her heart out with the Boston Pops and the Metropolitan Chorale! Tweet at her about the Marine Corps @CareerCoachNU

With graduation over and summer beginning, it’s time for you recent grads (if you haven’t already) to begin turning your thoughts to getting that full-time job. Alumni looking for a new job and for rising seniors trying to get a jumpstart on the job search should also pay attention. Here are the top five entertaining and informative job search blogs that can be a great resource for those embarking on the full-time job search.

The Muse: The Muse is a fantastic website that not only offers a blog that helps answer any career-related and job search questions, but also offers a robust job board, and a chance to look inside company offices before applying. Be sure to check out the free online classes section that can help you to learn new job skills that will enhance your resume.

Ask A Manager: The writer of the blog, Alison Greene, is a former chief of staff and consultant, and has successfully written a few well-received job search books. Alison’s pithy, hilariously sarcastic and blunt opinions about oddities and awkward occurrences in the workplace or on the job search are extremely entertaining to read and can give you great information as to how to navigate these situations should they happen to you.

Careerealism: Both job seekers and employers frequent Careerealism–it not only offers a blog with great career advice, but offers an area for employers to showcase their brand, share their story and discover great talent. By subscribing to Careerealism, job seekers can also access LinkedIn lab tutorials, Interview Prep tools, checklists and assessments.

Brazen Careerist: Brazen Careerist is a career networking site for ambitious young professionals, as it powers real-time online events for organizations around the world. Their interactive platform, Brazen Connect, is used by companies, professional associations and universities to expand how they recruit and connect with potential employees. They also have a pretty great blog related to the job search that job seekers can subscribe to as well.

Undercover Recruiter: This blog is focused solely on career development processes and the job search. Topics for blog posts include: career management, interview tips, job search, tips and tricks from recruiters, resume & CV writing, and how to use social media in the job search.

So pick you poison and use these helpful sites to get cracking on that job search!

Ashley LoBue is an Assistant Director at Northeastern Career Development. A Boston College graduate, Ashley has over 4 years of experience working in higher education and is a proponent for international and experiential education. Ashley also enjoys binge-watching HGTV and aspires to be like the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan, as a possible secondary career.